Is it ever too cold for ice cream? Honestly, it seems very hard to imagine a scenario in which a delicious, creamy scoop (or two…or three!) of icy cold sweetness doesn’t sound like the perfect treat. Whether you’ve worked hard all week (or day), just finished a terrific workout (it’s called balance, right?!) or the mood just strikes, ice cream is a fabulous choice for a little indulgence, and one most folks can agree on. That is, until you meet ice creams’, intense, delicious and downright beautiful Italian cousin, gelato.

By now, gelato is not a totally unfamiliar word in people’s vocabularies stateside, but many have not actually tried the heavenly concoction, or if they have, they’ve usually purchased it from a grocer’s freezer aisle (no disrespect, but pre-packaged is never as good as fresh, no matter what food you’re talking about). Lucky for us Seattle-ites, we have authentic, amazing, life-changing Italian gelato, homemade, from scratch, DAILY, within reach.

Gelatiamo. The name alone indicates the deep love and passion for the art of gelato owner Maria brings to her craft. (if you can’t tell, it’s a combination of the word gelato and “ti amo”, Italian for “I Love You”) One taste of this frozen flavor symphony will have you hooked and likely, in love.

Located in a cozy corner space on 3rd and Union, nearby to Benaroya Hall and Tom Douglas’ Wild Ginger, Gelatiamo is a delightfully charming space, manned (or wo-manned) by an equally charming and delightful staff. You are welcomed upon entry with a ’hello’ and a smile warm enough to melt the frozen treats you came for by the lovely staff, eager to help you find your flavor. The environment is very warm and comforting, with a very European vibe, plenty of windows for wonderful natural light, accents of dark wood and charming black and white photographs of the owner hard at work gracing the walls. It’s a very soothing and welcoming space.

One look around the place will give the sweet-loving indecisive types among us anxiety- the choices are plentiful…and not limited to gelato. It seems Gelatiamo caters to almost any sweet tooth, offering fabulous baked goods baked in the Italian tradition, including many specialty Italian dessert favorites not common in most bakeries, along with their signature gelato-cakes (much more elegant and delicious than anything from carvel!), and of course, a wide array of gelato.

Every item they serve is handmade daily, from scratch, in house (you can even see the stairs leading down the where the magic happens) from the owners own recipes and recipes that have been in her family for generations. You can taste the years of work, time and dedication that have gone into perfecting not only her gelato, but her cannoli, available filled with traditional custard or chocolate, her Saint Honoré, a traditional Italian cake unlike any you’ll find most places stateside, and at holiday time, her renowned and acclaimed panettone.

Gelatiamos’ owner Maria Coassin began planting her roots in the Seattle food scene back in 1996 when she first opened Gelatiamos’ doors. The only member of her family to have left Italy, she comes from a long line of bakers, with her family having bakeries in northern Italy dating back over 200 years. As a youngster, she saw the demanding life of being a baker, especially the long hours and early mornings, and decided that life was not for her. After marrying an American and moving to the US, she eventually settled in Seattle, and decided it was time to bring her lifelong love of gelato with her.

She knew she had her work cut out for her. Gelato was still relatively unfamiliar to many in the US and what we did have available in the states, was not very good. Maria decided to travel back to Italy to learn the craft the best way possible, from the masters. She spent several months in Italy, taking classes and being mentored by gelato master Pino Scaringelle. It is thanks in no small part to Mr. Scaringelle that Maria does more than just ‘make gelato’, she creates recipes, which is vital to truly well done gelato.

The first winter she opened for business, her father came to visit, bringing with him several family recipes from their long-standing bakery business. Even though Maria insisted Gelatiamo was NOT a bakery, he decided to make some baked goods to sell, including what has now become their famous and hotly sought after panettone. Ever since, the baking component of the business stuck (and we should all be grateful for that!).

Today, Gelatiamo has been a staple of Seattle’s ever growing restaurant scene for 21 years. That’s 21 years of making and serving gelato, baked goods and expertly brewed coffee to Seattle’s increasingly discerning public. Maria is well known and hailed for her incredible baked goods and is considered a gelato master. She travels several times a year to teach others the art of crafting recipes and other essential skills to making truly exceptional gelato.

In 21 years, they’ve never moved, though their location on 3rd and Union has undergone some cosmetic changes in recent years, improving and maintaining the classic elegance of the space Maria has envisioned and established from the start, and transporting her guests, if only for a moment, back to her original home of Italy.

Gelatiamo has a little something for everyone and is truly a gem we in Seattle are lucky enough to claim. If you’ve ever wandered the busy streets of Seattle on a brisk March day and dreamed of that perfect trip to Italy (you know, the one you can’t quite afford yet), consider popping into Gelatiamo for a little something sweet and a perfectly brewed Café Latte. You’ll almost never know the difference.

In the midst of the digital age, many are astounded that film still even exists. Everyone has digital film and video capabilities, and film Is very expensive, so, why bother right?

While that may have been what you thought once upon a time, your mind will be forever changed once you see the brilliant art made on and with film by artist Jennifer West at her Seattle Art Museum installation “Film Is Dead”.

In this revolutionarily inventive show, West uses 70mm, 35mm and 16mm analog film strips to create beautiful and visually compelling works of art. She treats the film with common household items including food coloring, nail polish, coffee, vinegar, bleach and more to create patterns and unplanned but stunning effects by eroding the films emulsion, staining it and letting the film take one whatever characters it might.

West’s SAM exhibit features film strips and remnants that have been treated and manipulated by the artist in this way, hung from the ceiling, and spanning almost the entire length of the gallery.

In addition to the physical installation at SAM, West has taken many of these works and digitized them to create a film that explores the differences and relationship between the analog and digital qualities of the film medium, creating another layer to this thought provoking artistic experiment.

Jennifer West is a Los Angeles based artist with some history in the Seattle. West received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Evergreen State College in Olympia before returning to her home state of California to earn her Masters in Fine Arts from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena.

West’s works have been displayed in various solo and group exhibitions across the country and the world including Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Lisa Cooley Gallery, New York, NY, Yuz Museum, Shanghai, China, Contemporary Art Museum, Houston, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR and many more.

Her love affair with film dates back more than ten years and she boasts a very interesting and varied portfolio of works including photographic and video works using different and rare types of film and film techniques, light play, performance and her unique film quilts and magic lantern works. West’s style and aesthetic are likely different from any you’ve seen before, exploring and challenging the differences between modern digital photographic art and classic analog film techniques. Her style simultaneously evokes nostalgic feelings and encapsulates a modern and almost futuristic aesthetic, and over all seems to challenge films obsoleteness and the digital waves supremacy.

If you share a love of visual arts, interesting techniques, the fusion of arts and science or simply subscribe to the thought that everything old is new again, “Film Is Dead” is a show worth seeing, if for no other reason than to see something beautiful before it’s gone.

Portland’s native Little Big Burger has big plans for its sister city to the north, with intentions to open several locations in the greater Seattle area, including one right here in Capitol Hill.

The Oregon chain intends to keep its delicious reputation in tact when it expands up north, featuring root beer floats made with creamy Tillamook ice cream, scrumptious truffle oil fries and their signature burgers made with 100% natural Cascade Natural Beef, stacked high and full of flavor.

All this locally sourced goodness, and with prices to boot! If you haven’t made the trip to one of the original locations in Portland, you’ve been missing out on some grade A taste and quality at incredible prices, with a savory cheeseburger coming in at under $5, including your choice of cheese, brioche bun, ¼ lb of natural beef and all the traditional toppings, Not to mention a generous portion of truffle fries for under $3!

In case you’re not sold on the exceptional quality and value of LBB, read this from their website:

“lbb burgers are made with a 1/4 lb. of cascade natural beef, brioche buns, local cheeses, fresh veggies and camden’s catsup. everything is delivered fresh daily, and cooked to order in an open kitchen. please note that all burgers are cooked to traditional medium unless otherwise requested”!

That’s right, not only are these burgers affordable and tasty, they are made fresh to order, with locally sourced ingredients delivered fresh daily. Unlike most burger joints, LBB offers you choices to really customize your burger, many available at no additional charge. Not a fan of cheddar? That’s cool, they’ve got swiss, chèvre, bleu or pepper jack on deck to make your burger just the way you like it. Watch the crew make your burger fresh, right in front of you in an open kitchen, well within view of the dining area. With quality, fresh ingredients, they’ve got nothing to hide.

Little Big Burger will be a perfect addition to the Capitol Hill scene, joining other burger biggies such as 8oz Burger Bar, Lil’ Woodies and LBB will be just up the street from the Japanese Burger Phenomenon Katsu Burger. The Hill seems like the perfect location for LBB to land, as it has become kind of the center of trendy dining in the city of late. But, as mentioned previously, they will be putting in locations across Seattle. They’ve even signed a lease in Green Lake, making that 2 LBB sites slated to open here this spring.

Most of the details pertaining to the Green Lake LBB location remain to be seen, but the Capitol Hill location is expected to be the PDX exports Seattle Flagship location. Coming in at about 2,500 square feet and located right on the corner of 12th and Pike (in the New Beryl Apartments) the Cap Hill location is set to be one of LBB’s biggest locations to date.

Look forward to more information about PDX’s Seattle take over and learn more about Little Big Burger here.

Brought to life by local comedic sensation Scott Shoemaker, Ms. Pakman is a big, round, sparkly yellow mess with an over-sized pink bow on her head, what some may deem to be too much makeup, and an arsenal of anecdotal stories, confessions, songs and one-liners to have you rolling with laughter in the aisle all night.

Enjoy stories from the 80’s icon’s sordid and somewhat sketchy past, candid celebrity confessions, quips about almost anything and songs ranging from delirious to soulful and everywhere in between, all told by this big, beautiful, probably intoxicated video-game starlet of yesteryear.

Her life, her loves, her “power” pills…her stories (glitches and all) come to life in this limited time run of a one of a kind show.

She’ll sing, dance and drink her way to a high score and the bottom of your heart!

“Ms. Pakman: On My Last Heart” is the third installment in Shoemaker’s highly acclaimed “Ms. Pakman” series, and is sure to deliver the same thrills, chills and scandal that made its predecessors such a hit.

Be sure to bring plenty of quarters and level up for this fun-filled, bizarre and boozy show. With 6 opportunities to catch her before she’s gone, you’ll want to get tickets now. This show is sure to be one you’ll remember…even if its star can’t…

We all know Seattle is a cultural metropolis, even if much of the rest of the world doesn’t. So, to say it’s exciting to see a musical with its roots in Seattle hit the Broadway scene, might be a bit of an understatement.

The musical smash “Come From Away” got its start on the stage of the 5th Avenue Theater, right here in Seattle, (as The Seattle Repertory Theater’s best-selling show ever, no less) and this month, it makes its debut under the bright lights of Broadway.

While it may seem like strange subject matter for a musical production, “Come From Away” takes us back to one of the most tragically memorable periods in recent American history, September 11th, 2001. But this show is not about gloom and doom, or irreparable loss, nor is it about spinning what happened into something to sing about or a comical view of the events of that fateful day, but rather, shines a light on the true and often untold story of the airline passengers stranded away from home during that time.

After the attacks on 9/11, the FAA shutdown our airspace indefinitely. That means you were not leaving the country by plane, and if you were out of the country already, you couldn’t come back home either.

Photo: Chris Bennion TheWrap.com

In light of their inability to come back stateside, there were approximately 7,000 airline passengers destined for the US that were instead forced to land in the quaint Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland.

The humble town of Gander had only 500 hotel rooms in total, and suddenly found itself playing host to 7,000 unexpected visitors. So, in true Canadian fashion, the residents of Gander opened their homes to these stranded strangers, and more importantly, they opened their hearts.

“Come from Away” tells the story of the beauty in humanity after such a catastrophe, with the Townspeople feeding, clothing, housing and caring for those stranded.

“They didn’t have time to organize or structure a response other than the human response of we will help them,” said Kenny Alhadeff, one of the producers of Come From Away in an interview with King5 News. “We will clothe them. We will feed them. We will shelter them.”

Alhadeff is not only a Broadway producer with such critically acclaimed productions as the Tony Award winning “Memphis” on his resume, but also a Seattle native with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest.

As soon as Alhadeff and his company secured the rights to “Come From Away” he knew he wanted to bring some more local talent onboard to really make this production “sing” (pun intended). He started by recruiting locally-grown and critically hailed Musical Director/Conductor Ian Eisendrath to arrange the music, right here at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater.

The cast boasts West Seattle native and star of the hit musical “Memphis”, Chad Kimball as one of the major players, as well as another familiar face on the Broadway stage, Kendra Kassebaum.

While Kassebaum may not have been born and raised in Seattle, she chose Seattle as her home many years ago, after a very successful turn in New York and on Broadway (You may recognize her as the bubbly-blonde Glenda the Good Witch in the musical phenomenon “Wicked”).

Even though she sought to escape the craziness of the NYC life, the beautiful story of “Come From Away” was powerful enough to pull her back, much to even her surprise, calling it “the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life”.

Most productions seek to add star-power when they finally hit the “Big-Time” of Broadway, but Alhadeff and Co. have chosen to keep the original cast intact for their Broadway debut. That’s a lot of Northwest sourced talent cropping up in the Entertainment Capital of the World, to tell a very powerful, and moving story.

“It’s a show that transcends an evening in the theater,” Eisendrath said. “It’s a story that causes you to leave entertained, but deeply moved, and soul revived, and you think about how you live and what you hope the world might become.”

If ever there was a story that found the light in the darkness of true calamity, the tale told in “Come From Away” is it. A beautiful, moving true story about the goodness in people, about community without borders, about love, loss and coming together as citizens of the world to help those in need with selfless acts of kindness and grace.

“Come From Away” not only tells a story that is often forgotten, but serves as a wonderfully entertaining and truly touching reminder of the healing that can be found in the most unlikely places and the triumph of good and altruism over evil and suffering.

“A great piece of theater won’t end the war; it won’t cure cancer. It won’t stop the disparity in wealth,” said Alhadeff. “It won’t bring civility back to the political arena, but it will carve a path of light in your soul so you can do those things.”

“Come From Away” began its Broadway preview on February 18th, and will officially make its debut on March 12th.

For more information about the show or how to get tickets, click here.

Round up the crew and head down to the market on Friday, March 24th for a fantastic, fun event that brings together a diverse selection of over 70 local vendors to delight you with tastes of their delectable products. And their vendor list is still growing!

Arcade Lights is a wonderful opportunity to sample and savor delicious drinks, foods and sweet treats, from a wide array of local, small-batch, and artisan vendors. It’s always a fun and festive event, where you can enjoy something local and tasty, try something new and have a blast, under the Arcade Lights!

General Admission – $60Tickets include tastes of as many of the hand-crafted savory and sweet bites as your heart desires – while supplies last – and include five tokens for tastes of beer, cider, non-alcoholic drinks such as root beer and sodas and wine. Tasting glass included. Additional tokens will be available for purchase.

Early Entry – $80
Limited Early Entry into Arcade Lights 30-minutes before the General Admission crowd! Includes 5 drink tokens, unlimited food, plus early entry at 6:30 pm.

VIP with Early Entry – $150
VIP guests have exclusive access to the VIP Lounge, which includes seating, music, and exclusive food and beverage tastings from elite vendors. VIP Guests receive 10 drink tokens and UNLIMITED food, and can enter the VIP Lounge at 6:00 pm to begin celebrating before entering the Main Arcade at 6:30PM with Early Entry. VIP guests can use the VIP Lounge at their luxury anytime throughout the night.

Arcade Lights is a 21 and over only event, so please plan accordingly.

This event is a spectacular three-day contemporary art extravaganza, in which over 20 local artists will draw, collage, paint, spray, wax, photograph, cut and sculpt to create over 100 new works of original art, before their freshly minted works are auctioned off at this year’s gala and auction.

The celebration begins on Thursday, November 10th at 10 AM, when the artists will converge on the Summit Building in Seattle (420 E Pike St) and begin their 24-hour long journey of creating new and inspired works of art. The public is invited to view the marvelous display of imagination and controlled chaos during the marathon.

On the evening of November 10th, join the ongoing bedlam at the Art Party from 6-9 PM, happening during the Capitol Hill Art Walk. Grab a sneak peek of the art in progress and the meet the artists, in motion, no less! Admission is by donation to the art party.
The spectacle culminates on Saturday, November 12th with the Auction Gala. To celebrate CoCa’s 35th anniversary, the theme of this years’ gala is taking it all the way back to the year CoCa debuted on the Seattle arts scene, 1981, with a fun and funky New Wave theme, dubbing it the New Wave Ball. Guests are encouraged to glam it up for this event, in true 80’s style. So, bust out those studded cuffs, rubber bracelets and neon everything! (Bonus points if you dare to rock a A Flock Of Seagulls haircut!)

Doors open at 5:30 PM for the ever popular silent and live auction portion of the evening, with renowned auctioneer and MC, Laura Michalek at the helm, for what is sure to be a fabulous time.

Gala guests will then be treated to a delectable sit down dinner, provided by Underwood Stables and New Roots Organics, before heading out to the dance floor to cut a rug to the sweet new wave beats played by DJ Jesse Milden.

CoCa’s main mission is to support and encourage the creation of contemporary art and gives 50% of the auction proceeds back to these artists. Your bid makes a big difference to these artists and the art community, so bid high and help them thrive!

If you’re passionate about art or just curious to see what’s happening in the local arts scene, this event is just your style! See how the art you love is made, meet the artists, and maybe even take it home, all the while supporting the local art community and the people who use their talents to make it fantastic!

You may have noticed a new addition to the corner of 12th Avenue and East James Court in the last few months.

What was once a vacant lot, filled with patchy grass and not much else, has been transformed into a beautiful work of art, thanks to Local artist Ellen Sollod.

Sollod is noted for her imaginative and whimsical artistic contributions all over the city, including a sculpture entitled “Origami Tessellation” prominently located on Mercer Street, and “Lost in Thought”, consisting of three seven-foot diameter mosaic insets placed in the sidewalk at Valley Street and Westlake Avenue, and at Valley Street and Fairview Avenue in South Lake Union.

Her latest contribution to the city’s aesthetic is this thought provoking 7,332-square-foot hardscape park, right here in Capitol Hill. The park, which the artist calls more of a “plaza” than a park in many ways, took about eight months to construct and is a bit more personal to the artist, as it’s located close to her home. “I’ve never lived quite as close to something I’ve done, I feel like I’m more of a guardian than I ever have before.”, she is quoted as saying.

Though it’s been open to the public for months now, a grand opening is set for Thursday, April 14, to coincide with the Capitol Hill Art Walk, and will feature live music by the Garfield High School jazz band trio and folk singer Noami Wachira. In addition to live entertainment, the grand opening will also include food and beverages provided by local favorites Starbucks, Ba Bar and Cherry Street Coffee, and will surely prove to be a lovely community gathering and celebration.

The Gaffney House, facing east on the corner of 17th Avenue and Madison Street, has just been listed for sale by Ewing and Clark Inc. The current owner, Full Life Care, a not-for-profit organization, has owned and operated a memory care home out of the property for the last 12 years.

“For persons living with dementia,” says Nora Gibson, Full Life Care’s executive director, “our small-scale assisted living is a fantastic model. But the reality is it’s cost-prohibitive for us to continue at this location. We’ll invest the property’s equity into our other memory care home in Columbia City and our adult day health centers throughout King and Snohomish counties. We are committed to providing fiscally-sound solutions for the long-term care needs of our most vulnerable populations.”

Prior to the establishment of Gaffney House in 2004, the property had served many purposes. In the 20th century it had numerous incarnations: hospital, mental health facility, a venue for weddings and other large parties. At one point, it was even configured into a warren of non-profit arts organizations. Most recently, the stairwell was encased, a large elevator was added, and extra-large bedrooms were re-sized.

Gibson emphasizes that Gaffney House will continue to provide high quality of care during the sale. “We expect the process to take many months,” she says. “And our residents’ quality of life will always be our paramount concern. When the sale approaches, we’re committed to helping families make a smooth transition for their loved ones.”

“Our residents and their families have loved what we’ve accomplished at Gaffney House,” Gibson says. “And it is at a very special location in the heart of a mixed-use area. It’s even conveniently sandwiched between two incredible markets: Trader Joe’s and the Central Co-op. Like Gaffney House, I’m sure a new use will develop from the sale that will be of great benefit to the Capitol Hill community.”

The stately 1906 house was originally built for Caroline Kline Galland and was completely renovated in 1990 and again in 2003. The elegant and palatial property sits atop Capitol Hill, one of Seattle’s most dynamic & vibrant neighborhoods. The Gaffney House is equipped with handicapped and elevator access to all four floors, two full staircases, fire sprinklers, fire rated doors, & other life safety improvements and is currently approved for 16 residents, while operating as Full Life. This property provides a unique high profile investment opportunity in a NC365′ zone.

For more information about Full Life Care programs, contact Doug Harkness at 206.224.3757. To inquire about the sale, contact Ewing & Clark, Inc.: Tom Graff at 206.295.1445 or Jane Powers at 206.322.2840.

Capitol Hill Is …

Capitol Hill is the neighborhood to the northeast of Downtown Seattle. Seattle's Capitol Hill is an eclectic neighborhood. North Capitol Hill is the home of some of Seattle's oldest and largest homes, while Broadway and the Pike-Pine corridor surround a vibrant commercial area with both homes, condos, and apartments.